Queen Silvidia stepped closer and with each footfall, the ground beneath her feet turned from brittle brown to lush green. “Heis this important?” Queen Silvidia sounded pleasantly confused.
“He is everything,” I repeated my earlier answer, my eyes fixed on the ground, afraid that if I looked into my queen’s eyes that I would lose my emotional battle and turn into little more than a helpless child.
“Everything.Hmm, an interesting sentiment. If he is so important, then why does he not hold your bond?” Queen Silvidia’s fingertips ghosted along the edge of my ear before softly landing on the crown of my head.
“I… We have not had time to discuss it, and… I would not force such a thing upon him.”
“Even though you feel as if you are dying along with him?”
“Even still.”
Queen Silvidia’s exhale added yet another floral scent to the air. “A noble sacrifice. One that is more than worthy of aid. Rise, Hamish McIntyre. His time is near, but there is still much I can do.”
My hearts skipped a beat and my breath caught. “I…” There were no words.
“I am your queen. I feel your need.”
I’m ashamed to say standing was laborious and not as fluid as typical. My queen didn’t seem to notice. Her attention was now fully on my dryad. Queen Silvidia’s gossamer, peach-colored dress would have been called obscene by human standards. White and peach roses bloomed along its length. Rose petals drifted through her hair and fell to the ground. Each petal sparked new life where it landed.
“A dryad,” Queen Silvidia softly said. “And a beautiful one at that. Vaydra, would you be so kind as to pull back your cold?”
“Yes, my queen.”
“There will not be much time, but I believe we will have what is required. As long as there is a spark of life, I will be able to bring your dryad back.”
I held my breath and took a step back. Lilibeth was beside me, her hands clasped in front of her chest. I’d nearly forgotten she was there and yet found comfort in the fact she had not left.
Queen Silvidia hissed as she touched Todrik’s bark. “Poison. A coward’s weapon. I will purge it from this dryad and the earth from which he draws his life.” Those words no more left Queen Silvidia’s lips than a black, dripping tar like substance began seeping from Todrik’s bark. It hissed as it fell, dripping onto the ground before turning into vapor and drifting away. The ground we stood upon heaved up great rivers of the same substance. Bubbling to the surface before vaporizing into a gas and drifting away with the wind.
Agonizing seconds ticked by as Queen Silvidia drew more and more poison from Todrik and the ground. The substance seemed never-ending and yet, as the final disgusting taint faded to mist, Todrik’s branches twitched. Their brittle bark softened, and the blush of fresh, green leaves tipped their edges.
My knees were weak with relief and my hearts light with joy. Lilibeth’s happy sobs echoed my feelings though I kept my emotions tightly contained.
“Thank Magic,” Lilibeth gasped. “I thought… I was certain we’d lost him.”
Queen Silvidia rested her palm on Todrik’s trunk. “Be well, little dryad.”
Todrik’s tree form shuddered into a pale, pink haze. When the haze cleared, Todrik stood in his humanoid form. Wide, pale green eyes blinked at me before his knees gave way. I doubt I’d ever moved more quickly, catching him before his knees hit the ground.
My arms wrapped around his quivering form. Todrik’s soft, warm puffs of air drifted across my neck. Holding him so close, I could feel the steady beat of his heart.
“H-Hamish. What…w-what’s going on? I…” Todrik flinched. “There was so much pain, and then…I don’t remember anything else.”
Burying my fingers in Todrik’s pink hair, I pushed his sweat-dampened strands away from his forehead. “We will discuss what happened later. What is important is that you are well.” And he was. Todrik was not just alive, he was healthy. The ground beneath our feet had been transformed as well. To save one and not the other would have only delayed the inevitable. My queen was not only caring but wise.
“Thank you, my queen.” Those words hardly seemed adequate, but they were all I had.
Queen Silvidia stepped closer, and instead of reaching outfor me, she touched Todrik. His eyes grew impossibly wide as he stared up into her captivating, peach-ringed eyes.
“You’re beautiful,” Todrik whispered, his voice filled with awe. “Who are you?”
My queen’s gentle smile belied her deadly core. Ignoring the question, Queen Silvidia said, “I am pleased you are well, young dryad. And I suspicion you and I will see more of each other in the future.” Pulling her hand back, Queen Silvidia turned her gaze to me. “Although you have not officially requested it, your dryad is welcome in Fairy.”
“Again, thank you.” I bowed as best I could, considering my position on the ground.
“You’ve got my thanks as well, Queen Silvidia.” Lilibeth placed her hand on my shoulder, her opposite hand ruffling Todrik’s hair. “You righted a great wrong today.”
My queen tilted her head in acknowledgment. “I am always happy to be of service to our brownie sisters and brothers.” No one knew if brownies and fairies had a common ancestor or not. Likely Magic had birthed us independent of one another, but it wasn’t uncommon for our species to refer to each other this way.
